CPFO Spotlight: Sherry Walker
Sherry Walker, CPA, CPFO, is assistant director of accounting in Broward County, Florida.
Why did you want to become a CPFO?
I pursued my CPFO credential as I enjoy working in public finance and I wanted to expand my knowledge in the field.
What did you learn going through the process?
While my current position is more focused on Accounting and Financial Reporting for a large County, my experience in previous positions with much smaller municipalities provided a great baseline for all areas of the CPFO exams. This program helped me deepen my understanding in all fields, especially in Risk Assessment and Compensation and benefits, which were my least knowledgeable fields.
How has becoming a CPFO made an impact on you in your profession or how do you hope it will make an impact?
I am confident this additional knowledge will be invaluable to me when taking on new projects or more responsibilities in the future. Just as my CPA license has demonstrated a knowledge of accounting and business, my CPFO certification shows my knowledge and dedication to public finance.
What would you say to others thinking about becoming a CPFO?
The CPFO designation demonstrates knowledge in a broad range of topics that are applicable to public finance and highlights the persons knowledge with a range of GFOA best practices. I strongly recommend anyone working in public finance to purse this certification. To anyone who wants to develop themselves into an overall public finance officer, this is an excellent opportunity to gain that knowledge with backing of GFOA resources at your fingertips.